Zohran Mamdani’s stunning victory in New York City’s Democratic mayoral primary is a wake-up call for all communicators. Take creators seriously if you want to win the public argument. I have already posted an analysis of the Mamdani playbook largely authored by Hannah MacInnis. Now I will add a broader review of the TikTok news creator universe, with the help of our own Tyler Vaught, who runs our Creator Marketing offering.
Let’s start with the audience facts. The majority of 18–29-year-olds rely on creators for news (Pew Organization). They want organic and non-produced content, in short form (10 seconds, maximum one to two minutes). They want frequency of interaction, with the most successful creators consistently posting five to eight times per day. Likes and reposts are the key to audience vibe, not comments.
TikTok news creators fall into one of three buckets: Liberal (28 percent), Moderate (45 percent) or Conservative (25 percent). They are evenly split between male and female. Left-leaning creators tend to blend news with social commentary, often from an identity-based lens. Moderates such as Jordan Berman emphasize expertise and credibility given their backgrounds in law or finance. Conservatives have the largest audiences because they use multi-channel syndication.
Important conservative voices include Charlie Kirk with 10 million followers, Candace Owens with nearly 5 million, Ben Shapiro with nearly 3 million, Tucker Carlson with 4 million, Christian Walker with 1.4 million and Isabel Brown with nearly 600,000. Important left-leaning voices include Aaron Parnas with 3.5 million followers, V Spehar with 3.5 million for his UnderTheDeskNews, Harry Sisson with 1.8 million followers, Kat Abughazaleh with 217,000 followers, Josh Helfgott with 1.1 million, Charity Ekezie with 3.4 million.
Important moderate voices include Jordan Berman with 415,000 followers, Dave Jorgenson of The Washington Post with 1.8 million followers, Kyla Scanlon, Bianca Graulau and Cleo Abram.
Tyler told me that the best content format trends are:
- Snackable and Stylized - UnderTheDeskNews is done under a desk.
- Authenticity - Simple 10-second videos from a car.
- Explanatory - Translate complex topics by using motion graphics and calm authority.
Should companies and brands wade into this new world? Absolutely YES but do it advisedly. Creators are the new vessels for earning public trust, especially with Gen Z. Brands should vet creators for credibility and values alignment, rather than disqualifying them for isolated controversial posts. Over-caution can cost brands younger audiences, cultural relevance, and leadership credibility.
Brands should consider collaborating with TikTok creators who have large followings, even if their content isn’t strictly focused on the brand’s specific niche. These creators offer unparalleled reach, cultural influence, and audience trust. Their broad appeal allows branded content to tap into a wider, more diverse viewer base, amplifying visibility and engagement. Additionally, these creators excel at storytelling and trend adaptation, which can help brands appear more authentic and relevant in the fast-paced TikTok ecosystem.
At Edelman we believe when you bring creators in the room you bring the community you are targeting in the room. You must partner with these creators as advisors, not just content producers.
Richard Edelman is CEO.
